SHIP SYSTEM SEAKEEPING EVALUATION — A STOCHASTIC APPROACH

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe recent trend in Naval Forces has been a shrinking Fleet in both numbers and ship size. This dictates that our ships must have greater operational effectiveness if the Navy is to continue to carry out its mission in the future as it has done in the past.The seakeeping performance of a ship is a major determinant of its overall operational effectiveness. The methodology presented in this paper is a comprehensive approach to the evaluation of a ship's seakeeping performance. The scope of this methodology encompasses the assessment of ship mission scenarios and the relative importance of associated mission requirements as well as the probabilistic description of the uncertainties imposed by the variable ocean environment.The methodology is presented in a general sense so that the seakeeping performance of a ship's configuration can be evaluated as a function of mission scenario, mission area, sea state, ship heading, and speed. In order to utilize the full potential of the methodology, more refined scenario descriptions and more accurate environment specifications must be obtained. A simplified example is presented in which a comparison of the operational effectiveness of two small hull forms is made, using information now available to the designer.It is anticipated that the methodology presented can be used not only as a powerful tool in the decision‐making process of practical ship design, but also as the basis for parametric studies of mission strategies.